Thursday, February 02, 2012

The Climate Change Leadership Awards (CCLA) has extended its closing date for entries from January 31 to February 10 this year to allow for the uptake in environmental activity surrounding COP17.

Interest in the not-for-profit awards has been significant this year, particularly with extensive media coverage of the COP17 recently hosted in Durban, South Africa, highlighting climate change issues.

“The CCLA are the first awards in Africa that recognise, reward, motivate and celebrate businesses, communities, youth, schools and individuals with cash, media coverage and other prizes,” says Jeunesse Park, founder of Food & Trees for Africa and the CCLA. “Engaging in sustainable development and climate change mitigation is a key concern for many of South Africa's large companies. This concern is reflected in our partners, SA Post Office, Pick n Pay, National Business Initiative (NBI), Avis, Primedia, Amalgamated Beverage Industries (ABI) , the soft drink division of SAB Ltd ,and kulula.com. It is also an important and growing interest for schools, community organisations and many individuals.”

While the CCLA has a range of categories, for the first time it includes a Local Municipality sector and a Waste Minimisation award in its Climate Hero sector. The CCLA is a Lead SA initiative and winners will receive media coverage through Primedia, Business Day and others.

New and existing entrants can update their entries via the website for the first time this year, at www.ccla.co.za. Climate change leaders and heroes are urged to get their entries in now to meet the 10 February deadline.

The awards will be concluded in March 2012 at a low carbon event at the Sandton Sun Hotel. Previous winners include Avis, Nedbank, Santam, Backsberg, Woolworths, Rocking the Daisies, Barrows Design and Wonder Bag.